Journalist-turned-film producer Supriya Menon reacts to the manner in which Sreenivasan's funeral was filmed. (Credit: Instagram/@supriyamenonprithviraj, Facebook/@PinarayiVijayan)
Malayalees worldwide bid a teary farewell to one of their most celebrated actor-filmmakers, Sreenivasan, on Sunday, December 21, as he was cremated at his home in Kandanadu, near Tripunithura, in Ernakulam district. Known for his sharp wit and social commentary, both in cinema and real life, Sreenivasan is widely regarded as one of the most influential screenwriters in the history of Malayalam cinema. Hence, hundreds of people, including industry professionals, made a beeline to his home yesterday to pay their final respects.
Meanwhile, journalist-turned-film producer Supriya Menon, wife of actor-director Prithviraj Sukumaran, has now stepped forward to slam the manner in which Sreenivasan’s funeral and the visuals of his bereaved family members were filmed, which she felt was tasteless and a blatant invasion of the privacy of both the deceased and the living.
Supriya began a long note on her Instagram story, noting that grief is an immensely personal emotion. “To see a grieving family not have any space to mourn their beloved is so tragic. Multitudes of cameras/mobile phones everywhere. Selfie-takers in the corners, people pointing to the actors walking in. Many of whom are mourning their beloved colleague. Don’t the dead and the living they leave behind deserve better?” Although she did not explicitly mention that she was referring to Sreenivasan’s funeral, Supriya’s incisive words conveyed a clear picture.
Mentioning that every moment in life has become some spectacle, she added, “[I] cannot imagine the pain of the family who are in the midst of this tragedy. Shouldn’t we self-reflect and course correct? How much coverage is too much? Do we need to crowd around the last rites, beaming it for everyone to see… a broken down family trying to say goodbye to their beloved.”
Supriya Menon began a long note on her Instagram story, noting that grief is an immensely personal emotion.
Sreenivasan, 69, passed away on December 24 at a government hospital on Saturday morning, December 20. The actor-filmmaker had been facing health issues for quite some time and had undergone heart surgery in 2022, news agency PTI reported. On Saturday, he was travelling to a private hospital for dialysis when he developed breathing difficulties and was immediately shifted to the Tripunithura Government Taluk Hospital, where he breathed his last. Sreenivasan is survived by his wife, Vimala, and their sons, Vineeth and Dhyan, along with their families.